Housekeeping Operations
What the exam tests
Housekeeping is examined through procedure and calculation: the correct cleaning sequence, safe chemical handling, linen par stock and inspection standards. Practical marks often come from bed-making and a room set-up demonstration.
Core rules and concepts
- Hierarchy: executive housekeeper → floor supervisor → room attendant; support areas are linen room, laundry, uniform room, public area and horticulture.
- Entering a guest room: knock three times, announce "Housekeeping", wait, then enter; never open a DND room except on instruction.
- Cleaning sequence for a departure room: strip and air the bed, dust from high to low and dry to wet, clean bathroom last, vacuum, then restock and inspect.
- Chemicals are never mixed (bleach with acid releases chlorine gas); always dilute as per label and store above floor level.
- Linen control uses par stock: the quantity needed to cover in-use, in-laundry and in-store sets, plus a reserve.
- Lost and found items are logged, sealed and handed to the control desk - never pocketed.
Worked example
A 100-room hotel, all double, changes linen daily; laundry turnaround is one day. Each bed uses 2 sheets, so 200 beds need 400 sheets per change. In use 400 + in laundry 400 + in store 400 = 1,200 sheets as the working par, plus a 10% emergency reserve of 120 = 1,320 sheets. The reasoning matters more than the number: identify the per-change requirement, multiply by the number of sets in circulation, then add reserve.
Traps that cost marks
Using one cloth for the bathroom and the bedroom; skipping the knock-and-announce step; stating a par stock without showing in-use plus laundry plus reserve; forgetting that OOO rooms are still cleaned on schedule; ignoring colour-coding of cloths and chemicals.